Tinuke knocked on the door to her mother’s house. She wondered why the door was not being answered. She had packed up her load with the aim of going directly to Raymond’s house but she had decided to get some real advice from someone that loves her unconditionally – her mother. She had been standing there for more than three minutes and the door didn’t portray the fact that it might be opened. Suddenly, the door opened and she stared at the sleepy face of her mother. She had known that her mother would be at home because she passed by her shop and met the sales girl there.“Atinuke mi” her mother called, surprised.“Good evening ma” she knelt halfway, embracing her mum.“You did not tell me you are coming, come inside”. She entered with her mother following behind.“Oh… mummy, I am sooo thirsty” she proceeded to the kitchen and pulled out a pack of juice. She returned with a full glass of juice in one hand and the remaining pack of juice in the other.“What is with the luggage? Where are you going?”She sat on the chair opposite her mum. “I was going to Ray’s house but I decided to stop by your place”.Her mother laughed. “The route to his place is different from mine, so get another excuse”.Tinuke smiled but the smile soon faded out. “Mum, I need your advice. Ray wants to replace me”“What?” her mum exclaimed. “Don’t joke with something so serious”“I am not joking mum. For the past few days, I have been calling him but he has refused to pick my calls. I tried using another number but immediately he heard my voice, he hung up. I am tired mum”Bewildered. “And you did not tell me since”“I am sorry mum. Do you know the most ridiculous part of all these? The other lady is his maid. Can you believe it? A stupid maid” she hissed.Mrs Rogers could not believe her ears. “Don’t just fold your arms while your husband is being taken from you; this is not how I ended up in your father’s house”. She almost yelled.“Then what do I do mum, that is why I came here”.“Ok… here is what you would do..."

Sleeping while Luciana is missing was obviously an impossible task for Deolu. He left the room after he had called Caleb. Caleb had told him that the police is out, searching for Fred. The pictures of Fred now graced every corner of the state with the promise of a handsome reward for anyone who leads them to Fred. He hadn’t taken anything since morning and his stomach was beginning to complain but he had no appetite. He sat on the chair in the sitting room with his thoughts scattered. He took out his phone and started going through all the pictures again. His album was filled with pictures of Lucy. You can never get tired of looking at her pictures; the more you look, the more attractive they become. Tears threatened to break free and he quickly blinked them away.“What is this? My son is getting emotional, right here in my sitting room?”Deolu looked up and saw his father. He smiled and prostrated before him. At least, he would have his best friend to talk to, he thought.“Good evening dad.”“Evening my boy. I don’t need to ask how you are doing because it is obvious that you are not yourself. I would bet my fortune that the problem has to do with a woman” he sat beside his son. “she is a beautiful one” his eyes was fixed on the Deolu’s phone which was displaying Luciana’s picture.Deolu had heard it said before that men love their mothers more while women love their fathers more. That logic does not apply to him. The love he has for his father is great and even though he still loves his mum; it is not as much as he loves his dad. Though his dad chastises him at times, he is still his closest friend. No problem brought before him can leave the same way it came. Although, in this case, he seriously doubted that anything would happen to his problem today.“She is a rare gem dad” he responded, dropping the phone on the table.“I can see that” he looked at Deolu with worry lines on his forehead. “Last time I checked, she was just your friend. Has something changed?”The question did not quite sound like a question becausethe answer was very clear.“That status changes four days ago” it seemed more like an eternity ago.“Hmmmmm” his father grunted, waiting for him to proceed.Deolu stood up and started pacing. “But what is that when she is nowhere to be found?”“What are you saying?”Deolu exhaled slowly. “Lucy is missing dad”“What?” He exclaimed. “Are you sure she didn’t travel or… Or run away with someone”.“No. None of that happened. All her things are in the apartment, including her phone” he exhaled again and proceeded to explain everything to his father: Bewaji’s dream; the empty house; Fred’s disappearance and all the efforts they had put in finding Lucy.Mr Aremu just stayed there, listening without interrupting his son. When Deolu finally landed, silence prevailed for the next couple of minutes. “What if he is not in Ogun state?”Deolu raised his eyes to his father.“Yes. If I killed someone which is impossible, I would flee. If I am running away from the cops, it would be stupid of me to tell someone where I am running off to when information can easily be coerced from that person. The only way I would do that is if the information I am passing is a wrong one.”Deolu stood with his eyes fixed on his dad. There is always an added advantage when you talk to him. His ways of looking at things are always superb. “I never thought of that… I would search the whole planet if I have to. I must see Lucy and that bastard would pay.”“And if the dreams are true, then your girl is in danger. She must still be in Lagos. We need to start a thorough search for her here. Go to every hospital and mor-““Don’t even mention it dad” Deolu cut in, alarmed. “She is not dead.”“OK son.”

Bose was perplexed. This is the first time that she would admit her feelings to a man and now, she is feeling like crap. She wondered why she had answered the question. Why hadn’t she lied? It would have been easier for her. She could have easily told him that he was imagining things. Instead of ‘yes’, she could have said ‘no’ and everything would be fine. Why did she make herself look like an opportunist?Ever since Ray drove out, she had dived into work like her life depended on it, hoping that work would distract her from the past hour but no. Instead, her thoughts increased.Ray is obviously not in love with her. She had seen it in the way he looked at her, in the way he held her in his arms. He is just someone that is too friendly and down to earth. Anyone would fall in love with him; she only wished that ‘someone’ was not her. How can you cope, knowing that the love you feel cannot be returned?She contemplated leaving without any goodbyes but had a rethink. She already had more than enough in her savings to sustain herself and start up a small business but how would repay good for evil? Raymond and his family had been good to her; too good actually; and vanishing just like that would be too bad. Who would see to Ray’s meals, chores and other necessities? Even though Ray would not love her like a woman, she was hundred percent sure that she meant more to him than just a mere maid. The heart cannot be controlled so, his not loving her is not his fault.She heart a knock, coming from the gate and tensed up. She went to the gate and opened it. Tinuke bounced in, almost throwing Bose off balance in the process. She had three bags with her, which she dropped in order to stretch her hands. She picked one of them and made for the house. “Bring those bags inside for me” she ordered. She had noticed the absence of Ray’s car and she smiled internally. ‘Perfect’ she thought.Bose was bewildered. Things just got worse. “You can’t enter ma’am” she said, blocking her.“Oh… And why is that? Ray called me this evening, asking me to come over. If I were you, I would choose my words very, very carefully, if I have a job to protect”. With that, she pushed Bose out of the way and marched into the house.Bose was left standing there, momentarily stunned. So Ray had called her. Is it because of my confession? Perhaps he called her to remind me of my place in this house. All these went through her brain as tears rolled down her cheeks. She wiped her face and proceeded to carry out madam’s orders.Tinuke lay fully clothed on Ray’s bed with her eyes closed, feeling so tired. She heard the door open and guessed it must be Bose. She opened her eyes as Bose dropped the bags and saw the sober expression on her face. She smiled. She remembered her expression of shock and surprise some minutes ago. ‘I don’t think she knows who she is dealing with’ she thought.Bose exited the room and Tinuke stood up. She stripped and walked into the bathroom. She allowed the cold water to caress every part of her. After some minutes, she was back in the room. After wiping her body dry, she polished her skin with body lotion. She took out her body spray and applied it on some sensitive spots, keeping it moderate and not too toxic. She had realized over the years that Raymond goes wild with desire whenever he perceives the scent of that spray. She unzipped her box and pulled out a wine coloured gown who stopped just below the butt. She gave a winning smile. God bless experienced mothers!!!

Teju alighted from the bus and entered the street by the junction. She does not have the connections required to pull the police force but she has legs to walk the whole of Lagos if possible, in search of her friend. She had been to six hospitals and she so wanted to visit one more before the day runs out.She sighted the hospital she was looking for – Hope Hospital. She entered the reception and greeted the nurses there.“Good evening miss, how can we help you?” One of the nurses asked with a smile.“Please, I am looking for someone named Luciana Jones. I don’t know if she was admitted here. We have been looking for her for days”.The nurse looked thoughtful. “No, I don’t think so.” She pulled out their register and checked through with Teju checking with her but found no one with that name. Teju looked dejected as she exited the hospital. She passed by another nurse on her way out who was wondering why she looked so depressed. Teju did not bother look at her, she was too depressed to pay attention to anyone. Something told her to go back but she didn’t. The nurse entered and asked the other nurses what the lady came for and they explained the issue.“What if it is the lady that was brought here by Mr Raymond?” The nurses looked at each other. She ran out to see if she can catch up with the lady but she was already gone. She exhaled and went back inside

Raymond stepped out of the room. He had never been so breathless in his life. He walked silently with Doctor Tunde to his office, and after sitting down, they both stared silently. Ray was too preoccupied with his thoughts.“So, what are you going to do Ray? Are you going to follow her wishes?” ray was lost. Even the question made him feel weirder. He would not incur any damage or problem if he decides to go against Brenda’s wishes but he had been forced to promise. He does not go back on his words. It is the only thing that has not really changed in his life. On the other hand, doing what she wanted might lead him to a lot of problems.Some minutes ago…Raymond sat where he was, in front of Brenda. When he heard that name, he was stunned. Not by the name which he had heard countless number of times, but by the voice of the bearer. Her voice was like a whisper, cool, feminine and also commanding. He knew she had to be a spectacular person to be able to gather all those attributes to herself. He wanted her to rest but he also wanted to find out who she was so that he could locate her people. He had no doubt that they must be going through a series of horrifying ultimate search, in search of a light-skinned goddess. Personally, if he was somehow related to this lady, he would search the whole earth and proceed to the heavens if he does not find her.“I am so happy that you are alive. You don’t know just how happy I am” he said slowly and quietly. “Where are you from? Who did this to you? We need to contact your people or go to the police”He would gladly take laws into his hands if he sees the bastard that stabbed her. She became very uneasy and restless and they had to calm her down. He was worried he had said too much. The experience must be a terrifying one. Something flashed to his mind: what if she stabbed herself? No. she couldn’t have. She could not have stabbed herself, put herself in a sack and lay in the rain where she could die. After they had been able to stabilize her, Doctor Tunde said he would sedate her and he fully agreed. She is not well enough to withstand the torture of an interrogation. He stood up and waited for Tunde to perform his duty. He felt for her. If there is something he hates so much in hospitals, it is their ability to make you sleep, whether you want to or not. Ray saw Brenda’s lips moving and he instinctively moved closer. Her voice had become too low, probably due to the effect of the drugs being administered through the drip. She was trying to say something.When he was close enough, she whispered again. “Please, don’t contact anybody, not even the police. Please, promise me”. Raymond was stunned. Why would she not like anyone to know her whereabouts? The vague thought of suicide returned and he shrugged it off. Or could it be someone in her family? Maybe her family wants her dead? Why would they? Wait, does she have a family? All these thought kept bugging him and he could not even make meaning of any of them.He saw her struggling with the administered drug, trying to keep her eyes open. “Promise?” she said, barely audible. He quickly nodded. “Promise”. She relaxed and slept. He wondered if she knew anything about his inability to break promises. He stood up gently and gazed at Tunde who had been standing by them the whole time. He needed no seer to tell him that the Doctor had heard all that was discussed. He wondered how he could hear something so low when he needed to bend to hear her. Maybe his ear needs a check up, he thought mentally.Ray sat opposite Tunde, still tied down by his thoughts. He hadn’t given Tunde the answer to the question he was asked. “Ray… I said, what are you going to do?”Raymond exhaled slowly. “I made a promise Tunde. I don’t break my promises” he said.Tunde sighed knowingly. He shouldn’t have asked because he knew the answer to expect. “You know I am risking a lot. None of her relations know of her presence in my hospital, I know nothing about her except her name; not even her full name; what if something happens to her?” Tunde asked, becoming more awareof the risk involved.Ray stood sluggishly. “Then, you have to make sure nothing happens to her” he said about to leave.“You also have to do the same” Tunde said, referring to Tinuke. Ray paused, gazed at Tunde as his thoughts took in everything he had heard. He nodded and left the office. He entered his car and headed home.How could Tinuke descend so low as to attempt murder? Of everything that he imagined her doing, murder was not one of them. He wondered why he did not feel terribly hurt. He felt rage, enough to take on a battalion of Tinukes if she ever tried something so terrible, but he did not feel that heartfelt pain he usually feels whenever she does something to hurt him. Just months ago, he had been so sure that he would die if Tinuke leaves him, but now, he feels like Tinuke would send him to an early grave if he doesn’t leave her.As he drove on, Bose crossed his mind and his heart skipped a beat. Since Tinuke started her rebellious acts and Bose had stood by him through it all, he had been trying to see her in a different light. He had wanted to love her the way a man loves a woman but the only feelings he had for her were platonic. She is like a sister and a friend. He had seen some signs to show that she had extra feelings for him but he hadn’t thought much of it. Bose is a very beautiful girl, with a very inviting body structure, and that gave Tinuke more reasons to pressurize him into firing her. He however had never felt sexually attracted towards Bose, and he wondered why. He had left her at home without talking about her love confession and he was scared that he would not be able to look her in the eye and tell her he had no feelings for her.His phone rang and he looked at the name on it. He mentally kicked himself as he pressed answer and put the phone on speaker in order to focus on his driving without being caught by the police.“Hey… Duke, what’s up now” he said to no physical being.“You are not serious. You have not called me for the past four days and you are there asking me what’s up. What else would be up?” Duke angrily yelled over the phone. Of all the friends that surrounded Raymond, Duke is the closest to him.“Hey, why are you angry? I am angry too. You did not hear from me and you did not call me. What if I was dead?”“C’mon shut the crap. I know you can’t die, we already said that our children would marry themselves, so tell me: where are you going to when you have not fulfilled your promise?” Duke ranted. They both laughed out. People driving by in the small traffic assumed that Raymond was having a moment of madness and put a little space between their cars. Ray smiled at their stares.“But why did you leave the club without telling us now?”Ray sighed. “Leave that jare, I am glad I did. I was able to save someone from death”“What? Who?” Duke’s voice filled the car.“Long story” Ray replied.“Why not come over to the club tonight, you can narrate the story over there”Ray thought for a second and realized it would be a good idea. Get home, explain everything in his mind to Bose and go to the club to drink away any guilt that he might feel afterwards.“OK”“You are the man” Ray smiled and pressed the red button.

Fred was not happy with the way he treated Chris. The guy had wanted to help him with his problems but little did he know that the situation is already beyond remedy. He had forcefully pushed him out two days ago, arousing suspicions. Every time he stepped out of the house to either buy some things or settle things, he walks like someone who is being chased, looking over his shoulder at the slightest sound. His life has transformed to a nightmare just because of a stupid act.He sat on the bed in his room, drinking a bottle of beer. Lucy had been so beautiful that night and the jealousy of the fact that she dressed up for another man had added to his anger. He did not have any right to be angry but the mere fact that she could accept someone else when she did not accept him made him too furious. He opened his HP laptop and powered it. After letting it booth for some minutes, he connected to the internet. If he wants to come out of this mess, someone else would have to be found responsible for the Luciana’s death. Sooner or later, her body would be found and the case would move from a kidnap case to a murder case. He swallowed, opened his bag and took out a small jotter where he wrote the name of his worst enemy. Since someone else needs to be implicated, he knows the best person to implicate. How he would achieve his aim was still unknown to him. He stared at the name. “If God helps me to find a way, I promise you; you would be spending the rest of your miserable life in jail” he said.

Raymond arrived home to meet something really shocking. Of all the things that coerced through his mind as he drove home, the movie playing before him was not included.“What is going on Bose? Where are you going with the luggage” he yelled, as he approached her.Bose wiped her tears as she swallowed painfully. “I can’t stay here anymore sir” she choked.Tinuke had made her life a living hell ever since she stormed the house, about two hours ago. Bose knew that Tinuke was there to stay, due to the heavy bags she brought with her and she could not imagine another day with Tinuke in the house. She also would not be able to cope with seeing Ray and Tinuke play the loving duo while she suffered from the love that can never be returned.Raymond stared at Bose with his mouth agape. He could not fathom why she was doing this. “It has not reached this level Bose. Come inside, let us talk about this”.“No sir” Bose said, shaking her head in denial. “I am sorry sir; I never wanted this to happen. Why would I want to leave this house when you have treated me so kindly? Thanks to you and your generous siblings, I am somebody today” she sniffed. “I have enough money to start a small business, I am educated and I also have self confidence. You have been so kind to me. You treated me like your sister. What more can I ask for?” She paused, allowing everything she had said to sink in.“But I fear, I would not be able to stay any longer. I never wanted to confess my feelings today”“And I am sorry I made you do so” Ray cut in“Yes sir, I understand. But I am not leaving because of you; I am doing this for me. I know you don’t love me. If I stay here, I would become bitter. Please let me go sir” she pleaded.Ray was deflated. Going to the club tonight would definitely be a brilliant idea. He never imagined that Bose would cry because of him. He did not want to let her go but, making her stay would be very unfair. She deserves to move on with her life, forsake the lowly life of a servant and be an independent woman. If she would also be able to forget him, she needs space. That very minute, he saw a woman – a very beautiful woman that can sweep the heart of any man; but why can’t he see her that way?“I would miss you” he said softly, from his heart. “Who would prepare those delicious meals? Who would keep me company in this boring house? Who would advise me when I am lost? Tell me?”“Your fiancée would do all that. Bye Sir” she quickly said. She wiped her face and picked up her bags.“But where are you going this night? At least stay till tomorrow morning and let me drop you.” She looked thoughtful for some seconds, glanced at the building and shook her head.“I have called a cab to convey me to my friend’s house. Your food is inside the cooler, in case you are hungry. Bye sir. Thanks for everything” she said as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.Raymond stood still as Bose stepped out of the house. He could not explain the pain he felt at that moment. Why did he ask her that question? If he hadn’t asked, she would still be in the house now. He walked inside slowly with the intention of changing his clothes and storming the club. The quilt he was feeling could only be relieved in a club where he would drink himself to stupor. He entered his bedroom and met the second horror of the day. What the hell! He swore. “Tinuke… What are you doing here?”

Tinuke sighed internally as she raised herself from the bed slowly. She had been waiting there for ages and it seemed like Ray would not open the door of the room at all. She had heard him enter the compound and had checked herself in the mirror again to be sure she was perfectly in shape. But after waiting for five full minutes without seeing him she had been afraid that he had gone to the maid’s room to satisfy his lust in her arms. She however discovered that she was wrong when she tip-toe out of the room to see what was going on. Her joy knew no bounds. She raced back to the room to dance a dance of victory. She heard the gate of the house close and she laughed silently, running to the window to be double sure that Bose was really leaving. She was finally rid of her sworn enemy; how ironic that her rival had been a mere maid. A bitter pile rose in her throat and she gritted her teeth till her jaw ached. She lay on the bed, expecting Ray to enter but he did not come in, even minutes after she heard Bose’s departure. She became frustrated and was about standing up to go and meet Mohammed since he refused to come to the mountain when the door opened.“Are you deaf? Can’t you answer the simple question I asked you?” Raymond yelled, his gentleman etiquette was already out of question since Bose left him feeling shattered.Tinuke moved gingerly towards him, swaying her hips and making him feel uncomfortable. She stood close to him; too close for comfort. She placed her palm softly on his chest with her other hand going to circle his neck.“What do you think I am doing here? I am here to claim back my husband” she said huskily.Ray was blown away. His nose had identified the scent of ‘Light Blue’ perfume and his brain was not functioning normally. Tinuke surely has an extremely sexy body and the flimsy dress she had on only hinted the promise of better things to come. He moved away from her, with his hands in his pocket, trying to put his body under subjection. He faced the window so that he would not have to look at her. “I am not your husband Tinuke, this relationship is over” he said quietly.Tinuke was about to flare up at his spoken words but remembered the advice of her mother. She slowly walked to him, caressed his back slowly with her fingers. She then pinned her body to his back, knowing the effects she was having on him. “You don’t mean that. We are meant for each other baby”.Ray felt his resolve shake. Just how much temptation can a man resist? He was angry; very angry. Why did God create women? They are just too powerful. Bose just crumbled his happy day and here was Tinuke, trying to bewitch him. Tinuke finally slotted herself in the slim space between Raymond and the window and Ray’s brain rang a very loud alarm. Ray stepped back but Tinuke held his hand. He groaned and pulled her to himself, devoring her lips; he remembered Bose’s departure and kissed her with vengeance. The last thought that crossed his mind before the heat of passion took over was that God should have used clay to make Eve instead of using Adam’s rib.

Deolu strolled out of the bathroom after having a hot bath which had lasted for more than thirty minutes. He had lay in the bathtub, thinking about the tragedies befalling him till he became accustomed to the feel of the water against his body. After laying there for a long time, the water turned cold and no longer seemed inviting. He had a white towel around his waist but did not bother to dry himself with it. He threw himself on the bed, feeling so dejected. He had gone to several hospitals and yet, none had been able to yield any valuable return. He actually felt like dying. Five days and yet, he hadn’t seen beauty or the beast that captured her. He picked up his phone and called Caleb for the umpteenth time. He was starting to believe that Fred was really not in Ogun State.Caleb picked up and said the same thing he had been saying ever since this case started.“What sort of rubbish is this?” he yelled back at Caleb. “Are you telling me that the entire police in OgunState cannot fish out a filthy criminal? You guys are a bunch of incompetent idiots” he yelled.Caleb yelled back at him and Deolu jumped to his feet. “No… No. don’t tell me that you know how I feel because you don’t. How can my girlfriend be missing and you tell me you know how I feel when you are not doing anything about it” he paused, parading the spacious bedroom. “Your best is not good enough Caleb… Don’t tell me you are sorry, I don’t need your pity, I need your action. I am paying you handsomely Caleb, I need my girl and I need to see that animal who had the guts to lay his filthy hands on my girl” he hung up. He felt bad that he had yelled at the poor man but he could not help it. Nigerian police do not move until they are moved. He heard a knock on the door and quickly threw on some clothes even though he knew that his maid would answer. He was hopeful that some good news would come his way. He got to the sitting room and was surprised to see two policemen. Tomi, his househelp, just stood there looking confused.“Hello officers” Deolu greeted“Good day sir. Please are you Mr. Deolu Aremu?” one of the policemen said.“Yes, I am. Any problem?”“Please sir, we would like you to follow us to our station for some questions.”Deolu looked at the two policemen as anger flooded him. “What business do I have with your station?” he half yelled.“Your questions would be answered when you get there sir.”“No. you would answer my questions right here, right now. What sort of nonsense is this?” The devil was definitely bent on making his life impossible. So these filthy idiots think I am responsible for Lucy’s disappearance.“I am sorry sir, you would get your answers at the station. Please move sir” one of them said. Deolu, being a popular person, was feared by the policemen because they knew that his connections can lead to their dismissal; but they had to follow orders given to them by their boss, if not, the same fate awaits them.Deolu closed his mouth, trying to calm down. The events of the week had worked on his nerves. He picked up his phones and stared at his maid who was still bemused. “Call my lawyer” he said and followed the officers

Raymond left the state of unconsciousness and opened his eyes. He had a splitting headache which needed immediate attention. As he was about standing up to relieve himself in the toilet, his hand hit someone and he turned. The unadulterated details of the previous night came flooding back and he fell back on the bed.He shook his head at the remembrance. He had known that he was making a huge mistake yesterday but he still continued. The gentility he usually used with her was nowhere to be found and he just held and treated her the way he would have treated a prostitute. His anger had fuelled him and he had worked on her like he was dishing out a punishment. He wondered why he was so angry. He does not feel anything for Bose, so why was that anger so strong.He was angry because he could not love someone who deserves to be loved. He was angry because he knew that Tinuke had contributed to Bose’s departure. He was angry because Bose was sad. He was angry because Tinuke had crawled into his bed again. But most of all, he was angry because he had made Tinuke a promise.He exhaled and stood up slowly, went to the toilet to empty his bladder and entered the room. He looked at Tinuke’s sleeping frame on the bed and wondered why he did not feel the usual desire to touch her that always comes after their lovemaking. And now, he also wondered why ‘lovemaking’ did not seem like a good term to use for their passionate night. Sex is the closest word that comes to mind when he thinks of their night.“Come back to bed baby” Tinuke said with a coy smile on her face.Raymond turned, saw her smile and shook his head with his back to her. “No. Get up, get dressed and leave my house”“What? Are you crazy?Ray turned to face her again and immediately regretted his action. She was nude from her waist upwards. Surprisingly, he was not really aroused. “Get dressed and get the hell out of my house” he yelled and stormed out of the room.Ray was so furious and disappointed in himself. How could he have slept with her after all that happened; especially when he was thinking of leaving her? He had just made things difficult. He sighed as he picked up a bottle of water from the fridge. Now, Bose is no longer around to grace the house with the fascinating aroma of her cooking. He shook his head and drank some water. He heard the pounding of feet against the tiled floor and knew that he was in for another bout of argument.Tinuke entered the kitchen dressed in the same cloth he saw on her last night. He no longer found it tempting, in fact, it was annoying because he could only imagine a prostitute in such a ridiculous cloth; he secretly wondered if she actually left her house in it.“What is the meaning of what you said in there? Oh… you think you can just use me and dump me like that?” she asked, demonstrating with her hands. “It is not possible, you hear me?” she was vibrating from head to toe.Ray finished the water in his hands, dropped the cup and left Tinuke in the kitchen but she marched after him.“Ray… Ray… are you not the one I am talking to? Don’t you dare ignore me… Ray…” she yelled.Ray left the main building and entered the mini building at the back of the house which he used as a gym. He removed his phone to check his notifications and was alarmed when he saw several missed calls from Duke, Philip and Sam. He swore loudly. That witch had made him forget his outing with his friends. They must be really mad right now. He could not begin to imagine how pissed off they must be. He thought of exercising and calling later but decided against it. He took out his phone and called Duke.“Before you say anything, I am sorry….. You don’t understand….. If you knew what I met at home, you would understand….. No, not a python, something much worse than that” Ray smiled internally, knowing that he was just trying to bring down his friend’s anger.“My house was on fire o…..” he could not hold back his laughter when he heard his friend yelling. “I am sorry, not that kind of fire….. I know…..”Just then, Tinuke stormed the gym. She had gone back inside to put on her slippers when she discovered that Ray was leaving the building.“Eeeeehhhnnn… so you are talking to that witch ehn? You this stupid womanizer. Give me that phone” she yelled. She got to him, within the twinkling of an eye, yanked the phone from his hand and threw it against the wall. The phone shattered.Ray’s fury had reached the limit. He grabbed her hand and dragged her with so much force, her arm almost got dislocated. He opened the door of the gym and continued dragging her out. Her short strides could not match his long ones and she almost fell in the process but he did not even give a damn. He opened the gate and threw her out. Before he could close the gate, she had already bounced back in. He glared at her, his eyes throwing daggers at her.“Get the hell out of my house this instant” he roared.She started crying. Ray hates this so much and he clenched his fists in anger. “You are a monster, a bastard, a cheat. You took my virginity and used me for years and now you want to throw me away? I am not going anywhere”.Ray gritted his teeth in anger and guilt. His life was in shambles, he thought. He glared at Tinuke for some time until he was tired of looking at her. He opened the gate wide before going inside to get his car keys. He returned with the keys, entered his car and drove out leaving Tinuke there with the gate wide open

Two weeks passed and the turmoil continued. Everyone went from pillar to post looking for Lucy but no one came close to finding her. The tension going on in the houses of her loved ones was so terrible. Teju had gone from one hospital to the other in search of her best friend, all to no avail. The break she had begged for at work had now elapsed and she had to resume back. Remembering that this same job came as a result of Lucy’s influence, she winced. She doubted she would be able to concentrate at work.She picked up her intercom when it rang. “Yes?… oh… let him in” she said and immediately adjusted her face, in order not to show signs of depression. She had become close to Deolu over the past few days. She had never really liked him ever since he became friends with Lucy; she never quite trusted him with her friend’s heart. She had been playing the protective sister, even though they were not siblings. She had suspected Deolu’s real feelings right from the onset but Lucy had been too blinded by work and independence to see the obvious. Even Deolu seemed to fight the feeling for a long time. She smiled.Deolu entered the office with a smile on his face even though the smile did not reach his heart, due to the pain he was feeling. He never knew Teju was so cool till now. She had always been hostile, looking at him with hostile eyes every time he went to visit Lucy. He guessed she was just looking out for her friend, but when he tried to break the hostile façade and didn’t succeed, he forgot about her.“Hi Teju” he greeted with the smile still playing on his face.“Hey Dee” she said with a smile also. Deolu did not know why he loved that nickname she formulated for him. It brought a smile to his face, a genuine one. “What an honour to have you in my office on a Monday morning. Only a boss like you can leave the office on a Monday morning” she teased, pointing to a seat opposite her.“I have to. I came to tell you something”“I am all ears” she said seriously, suspecting that they were about to talk about her friend.“I am going to Abuja” he declared.“For what? Did you hear anything?”“No… actually, I was giving a contract by one of the top government officials in Abuja some months ago and the job needs to be executed. You know these government officials, they would not listen to any excuse, no matter how tangible, as long as it involves an agreement. I really wish I could stay or send some of my workers but I have been told that I need to deliver it myself so that I would not have the excuse that the fault came from my employees” his eyes pleaded for understanding.Teju smiled faintly. She knew he was being sincere but she did not know why she was disappointed. She almost felt like he was running away from his responsibility to her friend. She sighed.“I also want to use that opportunity to comb that state looking for that filthy peasant. Ogun state is already thoroughly combed but he is not there; Lagos also. Since I am going to Abuja, I would make sure I leave no stone unturned”. Deolu finished. Teju smiled again. She could see the love and pain in his eyes and she felt sorry for him.“It is alright Dee… I understand” she said.He smiled again. “Thanks a lot. I also want to thank you again for what you did for me; getting me out of police custody.”“How many times do you want to thank me? It is almost two weeks now” she was surprised.“What would I have done? I did not know that my lawyer travelled. If you hadn’t been there, I probably would have slept in that cell for many nights and had those thugs beat me up, asking me to confess to something I know nothing about”.Teju laughed. She was always happy whenever she had to flex her power as a lawyer. She felt fulfilled because, she was working for a fast-rising law firm.“You don’t have to thank me” she said.“I have to. Something still baffles me though… who sent those people to arrest me? As far as I know, that police station is not the one we registered this case in”Teju was thoughtful. “Yeah… I have thought of that. Don’t worry though, I am on it” she said with confidence.Deolu laughed. “I think I would have you as my new lawyer”She gave a mock bow. “At your service”“Please don’t relent in your efforts. Life feels useless without Lucy, please” he pleaded.“You know I can’t do that. She is my best friend” she seemed surprised.“Thanks”

“Doc T, do you really think she can be discharged now? Is she fit to leave?” Ray was so worried that something might happen to Brenda and that was the last thing he needed.“Well, do you want to test her yourself to be sure?”“I would have loved to if I knew what to do. Is she ready to leave now?” Tunde nodded.He had bought some clothes and given them to the doctor some days back because Brenda had been putting on the hospital gown ever since. Tunde stood up and led the way to Brenda’s room, happy that once again, his hospital had rescued an almost impossible case. The fact that her being alive had almost nothing to do with them was very obvious though; he was sure she would have survived in a poor hospital. She is definitely God’s favourite.Immediately they entered the room, they both couldn’t go beyond the door post as they stared at the person standing beside the nurse. Nurse Rola was beaming from ear to ear. The look on the faces of the two men told her she had done a good job even though she did next to nothing. Attending to beautiful patients always made her like her job as a nurse because she loved to play dress up.Tunde quickly composed himself and went to meet his patient. “I really would like to meet the idiot that almost murdered you because I would love to retaliate. He is however lucky that you are fine now. How are you feeling now?”Brenda smiled a little. “I am fine doctor, thank you so much for everything; you too nurse, you have made my stay here very lively”. Nurse Rola beamed.“Don’t thank us; we were only doing our job. We thank God. The only person that needs to be appreciated is Mr. Raymond. He really tried”. Everyone’s gaze moved to Ray who was still standing at the door.Ray had never seen someone that beautiful in his life. Her brown, almost black hair was combed backwards to her back and he could see that she had a long hair. He had always said that Tinuke was the sexiest lady he had seen and also dated but here, he stared at the most beautiful creature on the planet. He wondered if she was a marine spirit like a mermaid or the queen of the sea. Maybe that is why she does not want me to tell anyone about her. Was she sent to monitor me? Make my life miserable?The vague thoughts roamed his mind until the thought became stupid and senseless to him. He wondered when he started believing in all those fetish things and got his answer: Tinuke had fed him with a lot of stories in that line and he was no longer thinking straight.“Raymond?” Doctor Tunde called and Raymond jerked out of his thoughts to find everyone looking at him. He felt embarrassed and quickly put his palm on his forehead. “Oh… I am sorry. I just feel tired. What were you saying?” his eyes never left Brenda’s who also stared at him.“I want to thank you very much sir for what you did for me. I would have died if you hadn’t helped me. You took that risk for a total stranger; may God bless and reward you” she said, going down on her knees slowly due to some little inconveniences.“Woah…” Ray rushed there to pull her up. He saw her grimace. “Doc, do you really think she should be discharged? She still feels pain.” He looked at her with concern written all over him.“I am fine sir” Brenda said with confidence.“Ray, she can leave today. I would love to keep her here because it is always good to have beautiful faces around but every other thing can be fixed with those drugs I prescribed”.“OK”

The drive was quiet but he spared her glances to be sure she was OK, although, all he could see was her beauty. The long gown she wore did nothing to disguise her shape. He focused on driving, looking at the moving vehicles, in order not to look at her. But could he do that when she was still a total stranger?“Where do you live?” he asked.She was quiet. “You don’t need to take me to my house sir, you can drop me off wherever you find comfortable; I can find my way home” she said.“I don’t understand this. Are you a mermaid or a witch?”“A mermaid”“What?” he yelled, almost losing control of the steering.“Please calm down sir, I was only joking” she said and laughed heartily.Ray enjoyed the musical sound of her laughter. “Not a really funny joke. I almost felt dead right now” he knew he had just exaggerated. He wasn’t that scared but he just wanted to draw another laughter from her, and he got that.She kept quiet.“Well, since you would not tell me where you stay, you would have to come with me to my house”“But…” she started.“Don’t worry, I don’t stay alone; though I wish I do” he glanced at her and she blushed slightly.He meant what he just said actually. He wished Tinuke was not in his house. She had made his life a nightmare for the past two weeks. He wished he could just throw her out but he couldn’t. Why had he accepted to deflower her? Why did he promise to never leave her after the deed was done? why?He had employed a new gateman who had been his companion whenever he was at home. He never ate any food prepared by Tinuke and he had searched for a new maid who would cook his food but he had found none that could fill the space that Bose left. Tinuke’s food never invited him one bit. Every night had been spent in the club with his friends in order not to engage in any fight with her because she was always pissed about something. He swallowed at the thought that he would meet her at home. He really wished they hadn’t given him that one month leave at work. He had known no peace ever since he accepted to take the well-deserved break.Brenda looked at him and saw worried lines on his head. He seemed to be thinking. She wondered if he was married. He was not putting on a wedding ring but that was normal with guys these days. “Are you married sir?”“Uhn?” “No… but I have a fiancée who is at home now” he said.Oh… so that was it. “You don’t have to do this sir. Really, I am fine. I can get home by myself. I would hate to be a burden”.He almost laughed. “No. It is not a problem. You would at least recover fully before you leave my house. By the way, My name is Raymond James; you can call me Ray.”Before she could answer, his phone rang and he picked it up with a smile on his face. “Hey puppet…how is my baby doing?…You are coming? That is great. I’ll be expecting you dear….” He said a few words and hung up.“Well, your stay just got better; my kid sister would be arriving tomorrow. Believe me; you would love her”Brenda smiled.

Raymond put off the engine and unfastened his seat belt. He had decided it best to eat at Tantalizers before heading home. He wanted to rush over to open the door for Brenda but she was already out before he could even rotate. She smiled thankfully and he pressed the lock button on the car key.Brenda swallowed as she walked with him. He was making her feel very uncomfortable with his presence as she could not point out why. She wondered why they could not eat at his house since he said his fiancée was home. She also wondered why they were living together when they were not married but shrugged that off, knowing that such had become a norm in today’s world. She sighed. She assumed they were not in good terms.When they entered, everyone seemed to be staring at them like they were famous artists. She kept on wandering why they were being stared at like that but did not say anything about it. Some way gawking with their mouths open, some were staring wide-eyed and all.Ray asked Brenda to have her seat while he placed the order but she refused and followed him to the canter where he ordered fried rice and chicken for both of them, with a cold pack of Chivita. After standing for about five minutes, they both walked to a table with trays in their hands.Brenda stared at her food as Ray filled her cup with juice. She wondered why the gesture seemed so intimate to her; in fact, eating with him there seemed so intimate. She murmured her thanks and they both attacked their foods with vigor. Ray hadn’t taken breakfast and was very hungry. Brenda had taken tea at the hospital and was not so hungry but immediately she tasted the food, she hungered for more. They silently praised the person who prepared the meal as they busied themselves with satisfying their hunger.They had gone halfway through their meals when Ray decided to broach the inevitable topic. “Brenda” he calledShe jerked her head up. “yes?”“Tell me what happened. Who stabbed you?”She winced and shifted uncomfortably. “No one. What makes you think I was stabbed?” she faced her food againRay was stunned. She had to be lying. “No one? Tell me the truth; or did you do that to yourself?”She raised her head up sharply. “Of course not. I can never commit suicide”.“Then how did you get there? The only explanation I can come up with is that you were stabbed by someone who put you out there in the cold, thinking you were dead. If that is not correct and you did not do that to yourself, which is actually illogical, then, maybe you truly are a witch sent to make my life miserable”.She winced and he immediately regretted what he had just said. He actually said it to bring a smile to her face and possibly draw out the truth from her. He had always known he had to improve his sense of humour.“I am not a witch. I would rather die than become a filthy witch. I was stabbed by someone but I would rather not talk about it, if you don’t mind.”At that junction, he really wished she was a witch because, hearing that she was actually stabbed from her own mouth made him so furious; terribly furious.Brenda saw Raymond’s folded fists and grimaced. He looked like he could bring down the walls of Jericho with his bare hands. She wondered what she would do. Being a burden to someone was something she hated so much, and frankly, that was what she felt she was to Raymond. She faced her food again, even though the food no longer seemed inviting. Ray had already started eating again but when she glanced at him, she noticed that he was practically playing with the food.For the first time, she looked at his face; really looked. His head was bent, facing the food, so it was not really easy to scrutinize his face. That he was the most handsome man she had ever seen was not in question. She had noticed it immediately she set her eyes on him in the hospital weeks ago. He looked rugged and athletic. Looking at his muscled shoulders and hands, he would easily pass for an extremely sexy male model which every woman would die for. She could imagine the legendary six packs beneath the blue T shirt he had on.She quickly averted her gaze feeling embarrassed. The gripped her fork harder when it almost slipped off her fingers. She was more angry that she had been drooling over someone who didn’t even notice her intense gaze because he had been too deep in his thoughts to notice. She was however glad he hadn’t noticed or she would have felt extremely bad and embarrassed. When did I develop this stupid habit? she wondered. Probably, the drooling habit comes when you have been stabbed with a knife, she thought again with a grimace.

Raymond had been thinking about what he would do to the person that nearly murdered Brenda when he noticed Brenda’s eyes on him. He had faced his food squarely, not wanting to embarrass her by meeting her eyes. Her gaze made him feel extremely uncomfortable, but being a man, he knew how to hide his reactions perfectly. The second she stopped looking at him he had noticed and peered at her with the side of his eyes and saw the embarrassed blush on her cheeks. He quickly faced his food feeling his heartbeat quicken. He had prevented himself from looking at her too much because he feared her image would be imprinted on his mind. Now, looking at her, he knew that one gaze is enough to imprint her image on his mind. He coughed albeit loudly, to drive away part of the tension he was already feeling.Brenda looked up and said she was already satisfied and they both left the place. The drive home was very quiet. Raymond put on the radio to reduce the quietness as he thought about what Tinuke would do when he got home. He realized that this always happened whenever he was close to the house. Tinuke was always an erupting volcano. He knew bringing a woman home would trigger fire in the house but he was prepared to throw her out of the house if it was necessary. He had already grown weary of her presence which was making his life terribly miserable. He had never known peace since she brought herself into his house.Immediately they parked inside the compound, he noticed Brenda’s appreciative eyes. But with the way she looked, he knew she was not a sucker for big buildings and wealth. She was just full of appreciation, looking at the features of the buildings. Her eyes lit up when she saw the flowers and she smiled. He noticed her dimples and his heartbeat skipped. What was it with dimples that always got to him? He wondered.“You have a very beautiful house” she said.“Thanks. It is an honour to have an extremely beautiful person gracing my house” he said with a slight bow and she laughed. He noticed her dimples again and smiled.“I am flattered”“Flattered? Beautiful is definitely an understatement, you would have noticed my speechless state ever since I picked you up today”She blushed and they made for the entrance. They did not have to open the door though because Tinuke opened the door and stood at the entrance. Tinuke noticed the lady she had seen in the hospital and fear registered in her but she hid it perfectly. If Bose hadn’t been her match, she had just found a very strong match.“What is this?” she asked with her hands on her hips glaring. Raymond sighed as anger set in. The drama is just about to begin.

Fred entered the house after strolling for about an hour. He felt weary staying at home all by himself and had decided to take a stroll every evening. His life had been wretched ever since he left Lagos. He had abandoned his work, his apartment and everything, just because of stupid jealousy. He wondered what had possessed him. That was not the first time he would do something regretful and senseless.He remembered his failed attempt to tie Lucy’s disappearance on Deolu and became grieved. He wondered how far and how long he was going to run away from the police. He had not seen any police knocking on his door but he knew it was just a matter of time.One thing kept troubling him; Luciana’s corpse hasn’t been found. With the response he got from his police friend, he knew that Luciana is still missing. He didn’t confess his crime to his friend but developed rooster and bull stories of how he had to travel to Bayelsa state for some business dealing and how he heard when he was away that his close friend was missing. He had framed up a lie in order to secure Deolu’s arrest about how he had been told by Lucy, some days before he left that she would be going on a dinner date with Deolu the same day she got missing. That story had been enough to motivate the police to arrest Deolu, but he had made sure his name would not be mentioned.He entered the bedroom still feeling a level of safety. After having a cold shower, he climbed the bed and fell into a dreamless sleep.

Brenda lay gently on the bed feeling the last bit of her strength leave her. It had been a struggle getting into the house. She wondered if it was always like that with Raymond and his so called fiancee. Raymond had practically dragged his fiancee out of the way after a terribly heated argument which was filled with insults from her lips. She had been sorely tempted to run out of the house. Raymond seemed to be so cool and collected, and even throughout the argument, he hadn’t disrespected his fiancée in any way but Brenda kept on wandering what he was doing with the viper he called his fiancée.Brenda closed her eyes as sleep sleep set in. She tried not to think about the negative effects of what she was doing. She knew that her people would be worried sick about her but the mere fact that her sudden appearance might put them in more danger made her want to stay away. She would rather die than put her loved ones in danger. She sighed and slept

Answer me right now Raymond S. James; what is that pale thing doing here?” Tinuke yelled.Raymond jumped to his feet as he forcefully restrained himself from hitting her. He had never hit a woman in his life but he had the feeling that Tinuke would make him change that record. “Woman” he growled, “this is my house, and whoever I desire to bring into my house should be none of your concern”.She hissed. “This is my house too, Ray, and you should at least respect me by leaving your whores outside instead of bringing them here”.“You are pushing me Tinuke”. He pointed his finger at her in a warning signal.She laughed. “And what are you going to do? Ehn? You can do nothing. You hear me? Nooothing” she yelled.“Leave my house Tinuke” he said quietly in a tone that spoke volume.“Me! Leave this house? You must be stupid to think I would leave this house. This is my husband’s house and I am here to stay” she yelled, loud enough to wake the dead.“I am not married to you and never will. I would rather die than marry someone who would make my life totally unbearable” he spat between clenched teeth.“You wouldn’t dare, you hear me? You dare not. You see this ring?” she displayed her fingers. “It is not leaving my fingers, not even in the next 50 years, and very soon, it would be accompanied by a wedding ring; our wedding ring”.Raymond smiled. “Sure. I can’t expect you to release such a prized jewel. I was not asking you to give it to me, you can keep it. As for the wedding ring, you would only get it in your dreams because this engagement is over. We are done”.She shook her head. “You lie… you lie, do you hear me? You lie” she yelled. “That LovePeddler has bewitched you. You are not in your right senses. I swear, I will get her for this. She is the one toying with your head, right? I will make her pay” she screamed at the top of her lungs.“Oh… is that what you were trying to do when you went to that hospital. Of everything you could do, I never knew murder would add up to the endless list”.Tinuke took in a sharp breath as she heard what he said.“Oh… You never knew I would find out? Why not? They have the whole episode recorded, you know? I could get you arrested; charge you for attempted homicide.”“of course not. I did not do anything, they misjudged me.” she lamented, shaking slightly.“I don’t know and honestly don’t care. Leave this house this very minute. I am sick and tired of your crap. I need some peace in my life and that would never happen with you infecting the whole place with your unbearable attitude.”Raymond sat down forcefully but Tinuke did not leave where she was. “I told you before; I am not leaving. You would have to throw me out if you want me out”. She spat.“You have five minutes to pack your things and leave. If you refuse to comply, the police would have to help you out”.She glared.

“Calm down sweetie. Just look at yourself; you are a shadow of yourself” Ken admonished his wife who was busy thinking about the misfortune which had befallen her. She had become lean, and even though Ken looked sapped and under serious pressure, he still wanted his wife to take it easy and be a little optimistic for both of them. He really needed her to encourage him and realize that they were both in it together, but she had been behaving as if he was not there.“Just leave me alone Ken, it is my daughter that is missing here” she almost yelled.Ken became furious. “Isn’t she my daughter too? What is the matter with you? Do you think this is not affecting me?”“Don’t you yell at me Kenneth. I told you. I told you not to allow her take that job and apartment. You could have insisted she stayed here, searched for another job which is close by, but what did you do? She talked you into it and you agreed. A girl should not stay away from her parents” she yelled.Ken was horrified. “So this is what the problem is. You are holding me responsible for what is happening? She has been living conveniently in that house for six years and now you bring up this issue?”“I am not saying you are responsible, I am just…”she trailed off, then looked sad and confused. She looked at her husband and wondered what had possessed her to talk that way, he was equally affected and she had hardly consoled him or tried to make him feel better ever since their daughter went missing. Yet, that did not stop him from petting and standing by her. “I am sorry honey, I don’t know what is wrong with me” she moved towards him apologetically.He blocked her advance with his hand. “No, I think you know. You are right though, I am a horrible father” he turned and stormed out in anger.“No, Ken. I am sorry… Ken…” she followed him but he was out of the gate before she could stop him. She went back to the house, slamming the door forcefully. The tears soon started falling as she sat on the floor but she didn’t know the cause of the tears: her missing daughter or her hurt husband.

Raymond felt this unexplainable peace immediately Tinuke wheeled her boxes out of the house. He wondered why she had brought so many bags in the first place. Was she given quit notice? He wondered. He wondered why he never noticed such an unbearable behavior in her before. He had always known her to be sweet and gentle but not like this. Women are just pretenders, waiting for the ring before producing their true characters. He thought. Tinuke was just the exact replica of a roaring fire, always ready to rid you of your cool and peace.He took the television remote and switched on the television. Ever since he started his leave, he hadn’t switched on the television, not to mention, watch it. There had been too many dramas to last a lifetime and he didn’t need to hear any extra bad news on the television, since that was the only thing that the television stations carried. He could not remember the last time he heard a good news on TV; but he just had to keep up with the happenings around him, especially Nigerian news.The first thing he saw on Channels TV almost made him regret putting on the TV. Boko Haram had just bombed a bus station in Bornu State, leading to the death of about a hundred people and leaving many people injured. He grimaced as he listened to the reporter. What a cruel world. The news came to a close some minutes after and he picked up his remote to change the channel but stopped when he saw a familiar face on the Television screen. His eyes widened as he stared at the name beneath the picture

Brenda closed her eyes and opened it but it did not drive away the guilt she was feeling. She had woken up some time ago to the loud voices of heated argument going on between Raymond and his fiancée. She had felt this heavy guilt then. She should not have come here, she should have insisted on going her way. If she had, Raymond’s fiancée would still be with him.After hearing what was being said for some time, she covered her head and ears with the pillow in order to prevent herself from hearing more, although, it was nigh impossible. Then, they started speaking in a hushed manner and she was grateful. The next thing that happened was what made her guilt multiply: she heard the sound of bags, being dragged. She had pushed her weak body out of bed and went to the window to confirm her fears. Tinuke was dragging her bags out in tears. The gateman offered to help her but he was sent back with a dirty slap from Tinuke which made Brenda wince.Brenda shook her head, stood up from the bed and made for the bathroom. She needed to leave that place. Much to her surprise, she found everything she needed in the bathroom: a new toothbrush, sponge, soap, and towel. She wondered how Raymond had managed to put all those things in her bathroom since he had been busy fighting his fiancée. She brushed, took her bath and left the bathroom. She mopped her hair until it became just a little bit moist and quickly wore the same dress she had removed. She loved the gown and had been wondering how Raymond was able to buy her something that fit so perfectly. Just as she was combing her hair, she heard a knock and instantly became frightened. They were all alone in the house, save the gateman. Nothing and no one could stand in his way of he decided to do something stupid. She remembered how good he had been and threw away the filthy thought.“Yes? Please come in” she said, dropping the comb.Raymond entered, looking all masculine. She noticed he had changed the loose T shirt he had on before into a figure hugging top that highlighted his muscles. She wondered if he was a regular face at the gym.Raymond was carried away by the beauty of his guest for some seconds, that he forgot what he came for. Her hair was loose and looked wet. God really created this woman when he was relaxing, he thought. If she was this beautiful in such flimsy material, he wondered what she would look like in real quality clothes. Remembering why he came, he stared at her without talking, like he was trying to confirm something.“Miss Luciana Jones?” he called and watched her face drain, leaving her whiter than she already was. Confirmed. “Come with me; we need to have a long chat”. With that he turned and walked out of the room while she followed like a puppet with her head downcast.

Tinuke had cried and cried but the tears still did not stop coming. She didn’t know what to do. She was already back in her apartment. She entered the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of alcoholic wine and found it empty. She angrily threw it against the wall. And the sound of its shattering was deafening. She swallowed as she settled to drinking a bottle of cold water. After drinking for some time, it soon became bitter in her mouth and she returned the cup.She moved to the sitting room and collapsed on the chair. She mopped her eyes for the umpteenth time. She dialed Tosin’s number but she did not pick up. After several attempts, she dialed Bola’s number and got the same result. She became very angry and furious. “Stupid girls” she yelled.Bola and Tosin were her best friends. They had been inseperable since their secondary school days and now that they were older, that hadn’t changed. The only time she had been away from them had been when they had gone to school. They both got their admissions late, unlike her, but they both finished their NYSC about a year ago and the trio friendship continued. Now that she needed them, they are nowhere to be found. She sighed. After thinking for some time, she felt she would feel better if she goes for shopping. Shopping had a way of making her happy. She didn’t have the money, so, she picked up her phone to call her favorite step brother. It had been a long time since she called him.After ringing for some seconds, she heard a voice and she smiled. “Hello Deolu”